A Dangerous Game
by Strophee
Summary: What happens when Milton wants what belongs to the Governor? Milton/Andrea
1. A dangerous game

He took a special interest in her from the moment she arrived at Woodbury, and he found himself at a loss for words in her presence. Of course she could never notice him, the shy and repressed lackey of the Governor. What was it about her? Was it her ability to kill, denying mercy to the walkers that threatened their survival? Was it her loyalty to the Governor? Perhaps it was that loyalty that truly angered him deep down inside, and that drove him to the brink of insanity. He had witnessed the events that took place behind the backs of the members of Woodbury... why should the Governor have her? How could he possibly deserve to have her in his arms, and in his bed?

_His bed..._

The thoughts that ran through his mind threatened to bring him to his knees. He could almost hear her moaning the Governor's name and he could almost see her hands gripping the sheets... words could not express how he hated him. Sure, he would aid him in any way he could, but he could not deny his jealousy. Sometimes it seemed enough to pretend she loved him, and that he might even share his bed with her. Sometimes it helped release an ache within him.. and then, other times, it only made it all worse.

Hatred and desire was what drove him to the Governor's bedroom door, he really didn't know how he had gotten there, but he knew that if he opened that door there would be no going back. What exactly was he going to do, anyway? He wasn't thinking clearly and he knew it. It was dangerous, and oh, if he were caught... he shuddered at the thought, but it could not keep him from turning the doorknob.  
No sign of the Governor. He was off on a 'supply run', no doubt. The dirty business of slaughtering others for their food and medicine should have saddened him, but for the time being it only brought him relief.

There she was.

His blood boiled, and suddenly breathing became difficult. She was asleep in his bed.. and she was completely naked. This realization both thrilled and terrified him at the same time, and he found that it took no effort on his part to walk over to her. She was every bit as perfect as she had been in his fantasies, and he longed to touch her so very much. The Governor would have admired him for restraining for as long as he did, if he didn't attempt to kill him first. Andrea held no particular significance for him.. many women had been in this bed, yet it never mattered like it did now. Jealousy was never an issue.. desire, even less.

Yet here he was, and even he dared to reach out to her.. to feel her warm, soft skin under his trembling fingertips. He traced her curves and lost himself in her beauty; her golden curls laid out across the pillows.. her lips twisting into a..._smile_?!

Fear gripped him, and he knew he should run away as fast as he could, but he stayed.. and when he saw her eyelids twitch and open to reveal a pair of the most exquisite green eyes he had ever seen, he was glad that he did. Damn the consequences of his presence there at her side.. he had spent too long denying his feelings and his needs. If she shot him... if she told the Governor.. perhaps it was a fate worthwhile. He was prepared for whatever would follow. He could not kill.. he would never survive on his own. He was not capable of being a charismatic leader, but he felt he could learn to love her.. he felt he could be the man she needed him to be.

"Milton..." she breathed. Was she angry? He felt scared suddenly.. despite his determination only seconds before. He fully expected her wrath.. but with all the passion his heart and soul could have hoped for, her lips collided with his, and her fingers tangled themselves in his hair. This was no fantasy.. he knew this as he inhaled every scent, and savored each new sensation, he knew that a line had been crossed.. and that the two of them were playing a very dangerous game. A game that was all too easy to lose when you were against a man like the Governor.

Yet for the first time in his life, Milton Mamet felt no fear. Instead, he felt love, and he was finally ready to play.

**_At the touch of your hand -_**  
**_At the sound of your voice -_**  
**_At the moment your eyes meet mine -_**

**_I am losing my mind -_**  
**_I am losing control -_**  
**_Fighting feelings I can't define!_**

**_It's a sin with a name -_**  
**_No remorse and no shame -_**  
**_Fire, fury and flame -_**  
**_Cause the devil's to blame_**  
**_And the angels proclaim_**  
**_It's a dangerous game!_**


	2. Beneath a moonless sky

For a brief time, Milton was alone with his thoughts... safe and warm with Andrea beside him in bed. Yet these were not the thoughts he had anticipated.

A seething hatred lived within him. A hatred for himself above all things.. even above the relentless undead. His parents had died and left him as a child.. he never had any friends... never even kissed a girl before Andrea. Mistreated.. misunderstood... used, for his intellect..

Surely it was his fault. Somehow. There could be no other reason. What other purpose did he serve? He wasn't particularly skilled in combat, and he knew he could not survive one day beyond Woodbury's safety. He wasn't strong and in control like the Governor. He couldn't protect Andrea.. his courage had long faded after he made love to her for the first time. She would come to her senses and go back to the Governor. He would cease to exist in her eyes.. that night would be nothing more than a foul memory.. a stain upon her psyche. Milton Mamet served no purpose. He was beyond the love of others. He didn't quite know why Andrea allowed him to touch her and be with her.. but he knew that this happiness was fleeting. She was too strong... too courageous.. too beautiful to be with the likes of him.

And it made him sick. He snuck out of bed, careful not to wake her. He was uncertain of how long they laid together.. how many "I love you"'s they had exchanged... No! He could not think of such things. These were lies. Andrea didn't know what she was saying... and she would regret it before long. How could he have allowed it to come to this?

As he slipped his coat on, he stared down at her as she slept.. a deep sorrow arose within his chest.. and it hurt. He imagined even a walker could not harm him now.. not like this. She looked happy... but tomorrow this would be gone. She would realize what a mistake she had made. She would realize Milton was a fling, and nothing more. That this inexperienced nerd held no significance for her.. and would have been better suited as walker bait than her lover.

He touched her cheek softly, and he felt it burn inside his palm.. he already missed her warmth, and he felt his entire world descend into an endless winter.

"Goodbye, my love..." he whispered. It took every ounce of strength within him to walk out of that bedroom door.. but somehow, he did it.. and he had never guessed he could have been seen. That the cries in the night could have been heard...

_And when it was done before the sun could rise_  
_Ashamed of what I was, afraid to see your eyes_  
_I stood while you slept and whispered a goodbye_  
_And slipped into the dark beneath a moonless sky_

Andrea awoke hours later to an empty bed, and a sound she could not put a name to. Rain drops? No.. but similar all the same. As she sat up, she realized immediately what it was. There sat the Governor across the room.  
"Philip! I...You were out so late." her concern was not for him, but for Milton.. had he left before the Governor had arrived? If not... Oh god, what had he done with him? Did she dare even ask?

He smiled and shrugged, "Woodbury is a growing community. We need supplies to keep going... you know that." She nodded, and as if answering all of the questions that were screaming in her head, he told her of Milton's departure.  
"Did you hear anything about Milton leaving Woodbury last night? I wasn't here, but Martinez was. Pretty strange... said he was pretty upset."  
Andrea couldn't hide her shock any more than she could force words out of her mouth.  
"W...Why.." she stammered... "Why was he upset? Did he say?"

"Actually, that's why I am here... he said he couldn't be around you anymore. That you disgusted him." The Governor looked genuinely confused as to why Milton would think this about his beloved Andrea.

She began to feel light headed... how could the man that had just spent the night with her have such vile things to say? How had she disgusted him? Was it her body? Was she not good? She was no pro, but she was far from a shy virgin.. their bodies seemed to fit perfectly together.. there was no touch that hadn't electrified the other person.. there was no moment that had been devoid of exceptional bliss. She was failing miserably at holding back her emotions. Maybe the Governor would only see this as her taking offense to Milton's careless words. Maybe not. It really didn't matter to her anymore. All that mattered was that he was gone... that the night before had meant nothing to him... and that she had destroyed it all...  
It all overwhelmed her, and as the Governor left, she found herself incapable of holding back the tears any longer.

_And I loved you_  
_Yes, I loved you_  
_I'd have followed anywhere you led_  
_I woke to swear my love_  
_And found you gone instead_

"Hey, boss, how's it hangin'?" Martinez asked as the Governor strode through the streets of Woodbury, he couldn't understand exactly why he seemed so incredibly pleased with himself... but he beamed and waved him over, "Never better! It's a shame about Milton, though.. I still can't wrap my head around it."

Martinez was clearly very confused, "What happened?"  
The Governor frowned and looked at the ground... Martinez grew impatient, something had happened alright... something bad.  
"Last night... he left..." he put on his best, most distraught expression, "...God, help me.. they swarmed him. He wasn't prepared.. he didn't even know how to shoot the gun... they...ripped him apart. There was nothing I could do."

Martinez looked visibly sick, and his jaw fell open as he struggled for words, "Does Andrea know?" "No! The two of them, unfortunately, bonded over a few experiments Andrea helped him with... it would destroy her if she knew. I had to tell her something... well, I told her he left... only that he left... that he couldn't be around her anymore..." Unable to form many thoughts on the situation, Martinez merely nodded and left, but not before glancing over his shoulder, "I'm sorry man, I didn't like 'im much, but I know you did... I know it's gotta suck."

The Governor walked away, his back turned to Martinez, and grinned wickedly.. "Oh, I'm just devastated..."

_**So what do you guys think? Is he dead? Is he not? WHAT SHALL HAPPEN TO OUR DEAR MILTON? :O**_


	3. Time bomb

She spent most of the next two days in tears when no one was around.. overcome by grief and anger. There were no words to describe the depth of betrayal she felt. Was there any point to it anymore? To anything? He left her... despite leading her to believe she had at last found love. That it wasn't just sex... meaningless, cold sex.

She drank heavily, to chase away the memories of their short time together. All of the flirting and the time they spent together working on his 'experiments'.. sometimes she thought he just made up more work as an excuse to be with her. Yet she never minded. None of it could hold a candle to the night they spent together in each others' arms.. the feel of his hot breath on her body, and the feel of his soft, delicate fingers as they explored her in the darkness. She could feel his hands in her hair; the kisses he placed on her neck... how he made her feel safe, even when the world was falling down around them. How nothing mattered but the two of them... the sound of her heart pounding in her ears as fireworks streaked behind her eyelids. He was merciless.. a side she never expected to see... yet he couldn't have been more careful with her. Each stroke, each touch... filled with such intensity, such love...

As she screamed his name before the white, fiery, bubbly sensation growing within her body and mind washed over her, she could feel his labored breath at her ear.. "I love you."

Now... she felt nothing. She heard nothing. Nothing except for the sound of her heart shattering within her chest.  
-

Daylight bled into darkness. His thoughts were of her.. well, the thoughts that were not screaming in pain within his skull. The pain was more than he thought he could bear. He felt for sure he might lose his mind if he didn't lose his life first. He wasn't sure how long he had been strapped in that cold chair, nor how long the gag had been in his mouth. He knew only that his ability to scream had been taken from him.. and that his blood was now all over the Governor's "tools" and the floor of the dark, grim room he found himself in.

His shirt had been cut open to reveal his bare chest, and what was once smooth and pale was now covered with deep lacerations. Trails of dried blood mixed with fresh led to his belly button and his pants, which had fortunately been untouched. He had grown increasingly pale due to the loss of blood and he shook from the cold; his lips trembled and he shuddered involuntarily, which only made the pain worse. Somehow, beneath the unspeakable pain and the sorrow... he grew angry. A violent anger. He refused to give the Governor the satisfaction of hearing him scream when he removed the gag from his mouth. He bit down on his dry, cracked lips, and held on to thoughts of her. There was strength in this small man, and he would show it, if he had to die trying. He dug his nails into the arms of the chair as the Governor slid a long blade across his chest, above his nipple.. his eyes watered, and he felt that holding back a scream would be impossible this time. Somehow he managed, and it only made the Governor more determined.

He had been followed when he left Woodbury. The Governor returned early, and watched as Milton crept to his own room, and he waited patiently to kill him when he came back out.. but when he heard them, he couldn't think straight. He wanted him to suffer. No, truthfully, Andrea wasn't half as important to him as Penny or his wife had been. He didn't understand how he could sleep with her and yet care so little about her life. Carrying on a conversation with her exhausted him and left him feeling irritated and on edge. Milton, on the other hand, spent each day waiting and praying for the chance to see her, even if he didn't get to speak to her... just to see her was enough for him. He wanted to hear about her day, how she felt about everything and nothing.. whatever was on her mind at any given time. Every word out of her mouth spoke life into him that he had never known of before.

Once again he removed the gag. "Had enough yet? When are you going to give up?"  
Milton struggled for words as he was overcome with searing waves of pain.  
"Why don't you just... kill me, if you're going to? What am I... to you?"  
"You know I saw you. That I heard you. That I followed you. How could you? After all we've been through.. you hate me this much?"  
Milton shook his head, "I do not.. hate you, Philip. Even as you slice my body.. and bleed me dry. We once spoke of a new start.. and we both wanted it more than we wanted our next breath. That man is still somewhere inside of you. This... it isn't you."  
Philip held no remorse within him for the man in the chair. He had merely taken a toy from him that he was not done playing with yet. He had to suffer. Philip could be the only one to lead Woodbury to survival, and to greatness. How could he condone such behavior?  
"Regardless. Andrea is devastated at your betrayal of us both. How can I possibly let you live now? We could have been like brothers.. but you just couldn't keep it in your pants, now, could you? I know you're a pathetic, nerdy little virgin... but really, do you have to screw the first woman who shows you even an inkling of kindness?"

"I love her."  
"Bullshit."  
"I do... I... God, I do. I left her... I couldn't see her eyes.. her.. she would know she made a mistake..."  
"Oh, she knows it already, Milton. She hates you. She's disgusted with herself for letting you touch her. I can't tell you how much it torments her, thinking of you inside her.. as little as you were. It's sickening."  
Milton's cheeks burned.. he could never degrade what he and Andrea did in such a manner. Philip didn't care. Sex was sex to him. It held no love; no purpose except to please him and offer a release. To Milton... it never mattered before he fell in love with her. He had made love to her, and it was a display of their love for one another. His heart soared for one moment in time, before it fell to the ground, surrounded by his self loathing and doubt. How could it matter so little to the Governor?  
"Is.. it not enough, for me to love her? Do you... have to have her, too?"  
Philip laughed, "She's mine, Milton. Maybe she doesn't necessarily want me at the moment, but she'll come to see that I can protect her. I can offer her a future... what can you offer her?"

"...I..." Milton closed his eyes and lowered his head as the tears fell down his cheeks. "...Nothing. There is nothing. I can't... even protect myself... There's... nothing for her with me..."  
This brought a smile to the Governor's face as he cleaned the knife off on a cloth. The knife that had just pierced Milton's flesh... that would surely do so again.

But what he did next surprised himself and Milton at the same time.

"You can walk away from this. There is one way, and one way only... the path to forgiveness is filled with self-sacrifice. Are you willing?"  
Milton's eyes were still closed; his head, still lowered. Suddenly, his head moved up and down. He was willing.  
"Save yourself, my friend. Leave Andrea. You may remain within Woodbury, but your time with her has reached it's end. You will let her move on from the disaster you caused.. let her pick up the pieces and forget you ever existed.. you will fade back into the pitiful, invisible little coward that you are. You will exist solely to serve whatever purpose I have for you at the time. Does this seem like an acceptable life?...Hell, it should be, it's all you've ever known."

Milton met his eyes with his own, and could not hide the tears that now flowed like waterfalls from him. "I... will never exist for her... again." he choked out, and his heart ached for every second, every emotion, everything that had ever truly mattered.

How long passed? He didn't really know. He had been released from his torture chamber, and locked inside of a room. There was a bed.. he knew that much. He knew this because he passed out on it some time before. From the blood loss, perhaps... he couldn't be sure. He awoke to the feel of warm, buttery sunlight on his sore skin and he found that he had somehow been bandaged while he was unconscious. As it sat up, the impact the torture had on his body was all too real. Everything was ripe with pain, no matter how much time had passed. He looked to see a fresh change of clothes waiting for him on the dresser across the room.. and he noticed immediately that they were his clothes. Not just something the Governor picked up on one of his "supply runs". He thought surely he must need to bathe... he must have smelled awful, yet when he sniffed himself, he found that he must have been given a sponge bath as well.. because he didn't stink at all. He tried to push his embarrassment to the back of his mind as he changed as quickly as possible to limit the pain.

He got ready in record time, and couldn't wait to escape the room.. he needed fresh air more than he ever had before. He needed breathe the world in, no matter how terrible the world was.

It wasn't long when he saw her. She was walking his way, and he knew she saw him as well, because she stopped walking immediately and looked incredibly hurt. She started to walk in the opposite direction, but he ran as fast as he could to catch up to her and pull her into a nearby alley. She hit him in the chest, and he resisted the urge to scream in pain. But he wouldn't let her know what happened to him. He couldn't. She would only blame herself. Or, maybe she would be happy. She was probably angry he actually survived. She was disgusted with him, and he couldn't really blame her anymore.

"...I know you're angry-"

"You have NO idea what I am feeling, Mr. Mamet. You know nothing about me."

She was hurt. There was no hiding it. He knew it the moment the words left her mouth. She tried to hurt him because she was hurt. He left her, and he should have expected it to have the impact he was seeing now. "Don't do this, Andrea. You have to know why I left.."  
"Oh, I do! Philip told me. You're disgusted with me? Really?! So is that it? You make a girl fall for you, and then refuse to catch her?"  
"You have every right to feel the wa-...wait.. what? I... I could never, ever be disgusted with you. How could you think that?"

"...He told me you left because you were disgusted with me. That you couldn't bear to be around me anymore.." tears now fell down her face, and his heart broke a little bit more. He couldn't stop himself from reaching out to her and wiping them away with his thumb.

He held her face in his hands.. how could he make her see?  
"...My dear, sweet, naive Andrea.." he chuckled "..How can I make you understand how utterly, inescapably in love I am with you? Mind, body, and soul. You have my heart. I have regretted so many things I've done in my life... but no matter how long I walk this earth, I will never regret this. You. When I made love to you... I did it because I loved you. I needed you. I had waited patiently, but that time had passed. I had never touched a woman in that way before.." he tried to ignore her look of shock.. clearly she didn't know he had been a virgin. ".. but it felt right with you. I felt home. It wasn't just a fling for me. It was everything I've ever wanted.. everything I've ever needed. I've been so lost for so long... never knowing where I belonged. Well, I belong with you. Tell me I can come home... please, don't make me spend one more moment in the dark.."  
There. He did it. He poured his little nerdy heart out to the most beautiful woman he had ever met. Whether it would matter in the end... well, maybe it just needed to be said. Damn the consequences... nothing could be worse than a life without her.

She kissed him, and for a brief moment, it was as if his wounds were completely healed. Nothing more mattered to him than the softness of her lips, the taste of her kiss, and the way she ran her hands through his hair and pulled him closer to her. "... Leave me again, and I swear I will shoot you, Milton Mamet." The threat was very real, but she wore a genuine smile that nothing could erase.  
...almost nothing...

There was something she needed to see.

It was hard for him to go back there... but he did. Somehow, he plucked up the courage. He led her to a room above the little torture chamber he had been kept in. He lost count of how many hours passed that the Governor watched him from up there. The horror and disgust on her face was evident.. she realized now how sick and twisted he really was. Little did she know, she was looking into the room that Milton was meant to die in.  
He didn't know what else to do. Seeing it all again brought everything back. She wasn't safe. It took one false move for him to be in that chair... how could he allow her to take that risk? Just being with him put her in danger. ...But, she could go to the prison. He could try to convince her to leave.. it was the only way now.

"Leave, Andrea... Tell the people at the prison to get out of there. In time, he'll move on... forget about them.."  
"No." she hissed, anger rising inside of her... "I have to kill him."  
"You'll never get close to him. I won't let you.. besides, they would gun you down first." His voice shook with nervousness. If she tried anything... God... he didn't want to think about it..  
"Only if they see me coming... Milton, this is sick.."  
She had no clue how sick it was. He knew what went on in that room.. she only had to imagine, and he doubted she imagined him in that chair. At least, he hoped she didn't.

The door creaked and opened, and the Governor entered the room below them.. Milton hid immediately and tried to shove her out of sight, but she wouldn't be moved. Minutes passed... the Governor was restocking his little workshop. And then something happened that forced vomit to rise up in the back of Milton's throat..

Philip began to whistle. A sickening, eerie tune. The same damned tune he whistled to Penny. The fact that she was dead; murdered by Michonne, only made it all the more horrifying.

He couldn't see what was happening in the room below, but he saw Andrea pull her gun from its holder and aim it at the Governor through the bars. She cocked it and everything stopped... his heart.. his mind... even time, he would've bet. He moved quickly to get the gun away from her, and as quietly as he could.. which proved to be no small task. She was angry that he would stop her... she had no idea what danger she was already in. He had to keep her safe.. no matter the cost.

Back at the house, she tried to understand why he would stop her from ending the whole thing.

"How can you still protect him? He doesn't give a shit about you or me. He LIED to us both, Milton.. or did you forget that?!"  
"..I knew philip... before he became the Governor... That man... he still exists."  
True, he was grasping at straws... even he didn't believe what he was saying. It didn't matter. He just needed HER to believe.  
"Okay, so you kill the Governor.. then you get shot, then Martinez takes over.. what then, Andrea? What is your brilliant plan? To have me bury you!? Killing the Governor doesn't save your friends.. it doesn't save anyone."  
She sighed, "Then... I have to go back... warn them..."  
He tried to hide his relief. How did it come to this? Would he actually be able to keep her safe?  
He nodded nonchalantly.. "Uh huh."  
"..And you're coming with me."  
Well.. that was unexpected.  
"I can't leave Woodbury." Because it would look too suspicious. If she was leaving on her own... wouldn't it be more acceptable than if she were leaving with him?  
"You really want to be a part of this!?"  
Lie. Lie, Milton. "I..I... I don't know anyone at the prison."  
"So what? you know Merle! he fit in.. you'll be fine.."  
He saw her determination.. while he loved it dearly.. it also caused more problems than he gave it credit for... he had to do something.  
"Like it or not, Andrea.. I belong here."  
She seemed to be thinking hard for a moment... maybe he really was a coward..  
Hell, whatever it took. He would pay any price..  
"Then...if you stay...You can't keep looking the other way."  
He couldn't force the words out. So many he wanted to say. He wanted to break down and tell her about the torture.. about the horrible injuries still fresh on his body... but he could do no more than look at her, helpless... begging for a solution..  
She kissed him on his cheek, and he knew he had won. Sure, it sucked...but he won.

He felt her absence already. It seemed like things were neverending with them. One problem right after the next. He heard a door close behind him, and the Governor exited.. looking rather displeased. He decided that since he had been successful in getting Andrea to leave.. perhaps he should try his luck at the innocent lackey again.

He walked with the Governor, and tried his best to seem uncaring, even though he was fighting back tears.

"Is she gone?"  
Silence.  
"...Are they going after her...?"  
"No. I am."  
Oh, no, no, no.. that was a bad idea. He could feel that familiar sick feeling begin to show its ugly head.  
"Oooh..." he breathed.  
"You have a problem with that too, I assume."  
What could he do, really? Beg for her life? get on his knees and crawl? Because at this point, he wasn't beneath it.  
"Let her go...?"  
"Why would I do that?"  
"S..She just wants to be with her people."  
The Governor stopped walking and looked like he might shoot Milton on the spot.  
"You talked to her...?"  
No, because that would be bad...  
"N..No.."  
He really wasn't buying it. God.. what would it matter? she was safe now.. probably already at the prison..  
"You did... You knew she was leaving, didn't you?"  
"...She told me.."  
The Governor grabbed him by his coat and shoved him against a metal rail.. he supposed he was lucky that he didn't have his trusty knives on hand..  
"I don't believe I suttered when I told you to leave her alone. What else did you two talk about, huh? Did you tell her about the deal?" He jerked him violently.. "Did you tell her about Michonne?!"  
After all this time, he still couldn't fight the fear.. his face told the Governor all he needed to know.. and he knew, he was in very very big trouble...  
"She knows.. doesn't she." he threw him back violently and Milton felt a rush of relief as he stormed off down the road.

A line had just been crossed. He knew that his actions would not go unpunished. That his days were now numbered. But he decided right then and there.. if he had to die... he wouldn't be going alone.  
He'd take the Governor to the grave with him.

It was over. There was no more pretending. Now Milton had to act.. the time for thinking about it had passed. He was ready to protect Andrea. He was ready to do what needed to be done.

He was ready to kill.


	4. Bulletproof

Night cast it's cold glare upon Woodbury, and most residents were asleep in their beds. Milton was not one of those residents. He found himself beneath the starry sky, knowing that there was no going back. He was outside of the walls, and he had his insane plan to kick into action. Would it work? With extreme luck... maybe.

He made his way out into the street and fear crept over him.. he knew that this plan could easily be the death of him, but he hoped it would at least rain Hell down upon the Governor too.

He pressed a few buttons and sat the simple, battery operated alarm clock down in the middle of the street.. He had exactly 5 minutes to do what had to be done, and get out of sight. He looked over his shoulder.. the "guards" on the wall were still eating and slacking off like they always did when the Governor wasn't there to give them heat.

Regardless of how brutal they were... they were worried about surviving the world just as much as he was. They did what they had to do to remain in Woodbury, under the Governor's protection. He smiled to himself as he thought of torching the Governor's beloved walker pit the night before. A small spark of revenge he would use as fuel to burn the whole damn thing down.  
He pulled his black bag from over his shoulder and dug inside with one gloved hand; it resurfaced with bloody organs. He tossed it close to the clock, and continued with this until he had reached the wall.. then he branched off of his path to lead to the side of Woodbury, where he had been hard at work.

It didn't take long to reach the open space where he had torn down the tiny wooden barricade to make way for the destruction. He continued to drop his little presents for the horde of undead that would appear in mere minutes, and when he had run out... he ran into a darkened alley and waited. It seemed to take forever.. but it wasn't long before he heard them.  
He also heard something else. A faint, small "HELP!"..

He looked over to see that there was a small, blonde-haired girl standing right in the path of the walkers. He ran harder than ever before to reach her in time and pull her to safety. She didn't seem concerned with anything going on around her, but she had clearly been through hell to get to Woodbury of all places.

"Where's Andrea?!" she asked, still breathing hard from running.  
"...She's with her people. Why... How do you know Andrea?"  
"Yeah, WE are her people, and that's a lie. We haven't seen her in a while."  
He couldn't wrap his head around it. In fact, he felt sick. If she didn't make it to the prison... where WAS she?  
"...She left yesterday for the prison. You mean to tell me she didn't make it there?"  
"N...No.. I came here to see if she could help us! The prison is under attack."  
"You don't know where she is?" He wanted her to laugh and say that she was lying, and that Andrea was safe. He wanted Andrea to run out from behind one of the buildings and into his arms. Somehow, he didn't think that would be happening.

"I don't... is there anyone who might?" the poor girl looked desperate, and he realized that the prison needed help immediately. He didn't owe them anything, but they were Andrea's friends.. her family, in a sense.. and that meant they were his, too. Whether he liked it or not. This wasn't a good time for such a crisis. Especially now that the walkers were attacking.

He thought he might have a clue as to where she was.. and it was in the Governor's face earlier. How calm and confident he was when Milton asked about Andrea. He seemed like he was sure she was exactly where he wanted him...  
Suddenly everything began to take on a silvery haze.. and it began to spin. He knew exactly where she was.. and it meant that there wasn't any time to lose.

"You're safe with me. Let's go." He led her away from the attacking walkers.. but he saw him. The Governor looked positively livid as he fired off shots in the undead that had just invaded Woodbury's perfect, safe facade. The Governor saw him too, and the girl. Milton grabbed her and threw her to the ground just in time to avoid the bullets that flew over their heads. Lucky for them, instead of pursuing them, the Governor had more pressing matters at hand.. he turned back to the swarm just to see one of his "soldiers" get torn to pieces.  
Milton felt a twinge of remorse. These people were really no different than him. He had thought that the Governor would be distracted enough to kill with minimal effort.. but he hadn't anticipated so many walkers. It was too late now. It was done.. and he hated himself for it. Was taking one life worth so many others? Yet, wouldn't they die anyway to his lunacy?

He led her down to the Governor's dirty little chambers.. where he had been kept and tortured for God knows how long... unfortunately, it wasn't as empty as he had hoped.

A man stepped forward with his gun raised, and Milton walked closer, into the dim light of the overhead lamps.  
"Oh..Milton, it's just you. Who's this chick?" the way he looked at her made Milton furious.  
"Doesn't matter anymore really." Milton hissed.. he felt his adrenaline wash over him completely. It took no effort or thought to pull the gun from his side and fire a single bullet into the man's skull. He was amazed at how easy it really was.. but there was no time to dwell on it. He pulled the girl along with him through the halls, until he reached a red door.

"... Whatever is behind this door.. promise me you'll stay with me...what was your name, again?"  
"I'm.. Beth.. and, I'm with you. Let's go."

Milton took a deep breath and turned the doorknob. His deepest, most horrifying nightmares were manifested. In the very chair he had been confined to, Andrea sat completely nude, with her head down, covered in blood. Marks indentical to his own were all over her body. The perfect body he craved so much. He felt overcome with raw, boiling fury. The Governor did this to her. His Andrea. He had touched her.. hurt her.. he couldn't even force himself to imagine why she had been stripped.

Beth shrieked and ran forward to her, pushing her head back and removing the tape from over her mouth, "Andrea!? Are you alive? ANSWER ME!"  
He couldn't make his legs move. He couldn't force a word.. he couldn't go to her.  
Andrea opened her eyes weakly and coughed.. blood sprayed when she did, and her eyes met Milton's. "...Milton.." she whispered, and no matter how rooted to that spot he had been.. he went to her.. and he fell on his knees before her. "I...I failed you, Andrea." he tugged at the tape on her arms until he gave up in frustration and took his knife out.  
"I had to warn them.."

"No. God, no.. Andrea.. I let you go to get you out of here.. away from him. So I could kill him. But as it turns out, I only handed you over to him after all."

She fell forward; a clear indication of how much strength remained within her, but he caught her. "I can't walk.."  
Milton took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, she was cold as ice, but he knew she could survive this. He needed to get her medical attention immediately. Somehow, he remembered Hershel and his leg, or lack thereof. If he could survive that at the prison.. they could help Andrea. He threw her over his shoulder and left the room; Beth ran behind and whispered "Are you okay?" to Andrea every few minutes. It was incredibly annoying, but Milton knew her heart was in the right place, and she was only concerned.. she was after all, still a child.

They emerged and found themselves in the middle of hell, what he saw in the room couldn't compare to what he was seeing now. The streets of Woodbury were not empty and silent anymore. Corpses scattered everywhere.. screams.. gunshots.. these were the sounds that Woodbury would have to hear tonight. Not the sound of crickets, or a roaring fire. He saw the Governor's men get drug down to the ground by walkers.. he saw their hands rip the flesh from their bones, and their teeth tearing through fabric and skin, and muscle.. the blood might have been washed from the street in the end, but it could never be taken from his mind. One man reached toward Milton and Beth, and Beth started to run to help him.. but Milton grabbed her with his free arm. "No, Beth. No... You can't save him now. No one can."

She almost argued with him, but as she found the words, she saw a walker rip the flesh from his throat. He was right... there was no safety for that man. Only the cold embrace of death awaited him now. Milton found himself running before he knew it.. jumping over bodies, and dodging bullets. This wasn't normal behavior for him.. the old Milton would have hid somewhere until it was safe to come out again, but he wasn't going back to that man. That man was dead.

Sure, he could have taken off into the night, and tried his luck out on the road on foot, but that would be suicide. He had one free arm, and a young girl who looked like she was about to crack under the reality of everything going on around her.  
There was only one other option. He grabbed Beth's arm and dragged her with him over to one of the Governor's cars. "Get in!" he yelled.. there was no way to be tender now. Every action and decision meant the difference between life and death. He opened the back door and put Andrea in the seat, strapping her in. He then slid into the driver's seat and put his own seatbelt on while Beth fumbled with hers. He pulled the strap and tightened it around her, "You're going to need to trust me to get you back safely. That means that I'm going to have to do some things that, frankly, I wish didn't have to be done. I can't have you freaking out, Beth. We have to be together on this, or we're all dead."  
She nodded and wiped her eyes.. time to put the big girl panties on.

The car roared to life.. one mistake the Governor had already made was leaving the keys in it. Even Milton didn't trust Woodbury that much. He smiled.. they might make it out after all. He wasn't just responsible for his life or Andrea's anymore... he was responsible for Beth's, and that meant something.

"I want you to put your head down until I tell you otherwise, okay?" she did as she was told, and he knew she was scared. He had to go easy on the kid... they were in danger, but he needed her to keep her head together. He wasn't the Governor. He could not and would not scream at her or make things any worse.

Beth felt the car move and looked up to see Milton wince.. and then she felt it. The bumps. "What is THAT?!" she screamed, he shook his head, looked down, and smiled, "It's nothing... everything is fine."  
The truth was.. everything was far from fine. He hit the gas and they were speeding through Woodbury.. through the carnage, and he couldn't look.. if he looked at the death, and the blood... and the evil... he wouldn't be able to go forward. There would be no way to do what needed to be done. He ran down the walkers, and saw the way out up ahead:  
The Governor and his soldiers had opened the walls, and were shooting the walkers. Why they hadn't just done it ON the wall, Milton didn't know.. but the destruction didn't exactly inspire clear thinking. He needed them to screw up, and this was a golden opportunity.

Now going at a dangerous speed, he knew it was possible to get through the wall.. he just needed Beth to keep her head down.. he needed to get Andrea to safety.. he could weigh the impact of the events that had taken place when they were all safe. Right now, there was no easy option. Every decision resulted in death.. what mattered, was who's death it would be.  
There were no words for the next sounds Beth heard, but she remembered how it sounded when hail hit their roof back at the farm. She tried to imagine it magnified.. but it didn't fit. She knew Milton was sacrificing something to keep her and Andrea safe, she just didn't know what. Maybe, she thought... maybe it was his soul. His sanity. If hers was being threatened right now, his must be running out.  
Soon the sounds stopped.. and Milton told her she could look now.. but she wished she hadn't, all the same.  
The windshield was covered with blood and guts, and there were cracks everywhere. One more hit and the glass would shattered.. she didn't know how it hadn't already.

"What happened?" she asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know.  
"We went through the wall." he whispered, and she knew he could hardly believe it himself.  
"But there were people there!"  
He swallowed whatever emotion seemed to be surfacing. How could he deny what had just happened?  
"Some of them aren't anymore..."  
"..You killed them." she didn't know who this man was, but she knew right then and there that there was no limit to what he'd do.  
"They wouldn't move, Beth. What else could I do? Andrea will die if she doesn't get out of here. We all will. The prison needs help.. and I'll admit, I'm not much, but I'll do what I can... whatever I have to. I meant what I said earlier. You're safe with me.. please, don't doubt that now."  
She couldn't really think of how to respond.  
"You love her." it wasn't a question, or an assumption. It was evident in everything he did the whole night. Even in his desire to ensure Beth remained unharmed.  
"More than you know."

The scene at the prison was not a pleasant one. It was Woodbury all over again. Fortunately they had fences to keep them safe.. but it wouldn't last long. Walkers had broken through somehow, and they were spending a lot of ammunition to keep them at bay.  
It wouldn't last forever, and neither would they.

It took a few moments for the group to let them in the gates, and during this time, he had rolled his window down and began to fire shots.. there was no more pretending anymore.. Beth was terrified. She winced and whimpered everytime he shot a walker. Somehow it began to bother him less and less, and he could understand how the Governor could put them down so easily.. but it only made his murdering others even more unacceptable.

He glanced over his shoulder to see that Andrea had passed out, which wasn't entirely a bad thing. He wasn't sure he wanted her to see him kill something.. regardless of whether or not it was to protect them all.

The gate opened and he didn't hesitate to drive on through as quickly as possible.. Beth couldn't get her door open fast enough.. she threw her seatbelt off and took off running to Hershel. Unsure of the state of the inside of the prison, Milton assumed Andrea would be just as safe inside of the car for the time being.. right now, they needed him.

He was needed. That felt good. To know that someone else relied on him, instead of the other way around. Somehow it made things less awkward.  
It felt natural to help them, and they welcomed it. In the distance he could hear Hershel scolding Beth for taking off without telling anyone, and he had to admit, it was stupid of her.. she could have gotten herself killed.

Within a few hours, the threat was over. Milton couldn't count how many bullets he had fired, or how many walkers he killed, but with each he took out, a little bit of his fury died as well. Something ignited within him.. and he knew what it was at once. Hope. For the first time in a while.. he felt genuine hope.

Hershel agreed to do what he could for Andrea, and so with Glenn's help, they got her into the prison and into a cell. Hershel wasn't much use for killing, but he more than helped out in other ways. Milton couldn't fully express how thankful he was for his medical knowledge.  
"Thank you, Hershel. I can't thank you enough..."

Hershel flashed his old, friendly smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts.  
"Hey, she's one of us. No matter what's happened in Woodbury.. she's home now."

He didn't say anything about Milton being home. No, he wasn't entirely sure he would fit in.. but, surely something had to go right after everything had gone so awfully wrong.

He wouldn't get used to the blood all over him, but it felt good to have survived by his own hands and his own actions.. not by depending on someone else to make a way for him.

Outside, Rick was pacing outside of the prison, inspecting the gates for any signs of weakness.. It seemed like a good time to discuss his place here.  
"Rick.. I know you probably see me as the enemy, but I'm here now. I helped you, and your people. Now this prison is safe.. and I'd like a place within it. I didn't come here looking for your approval.. I came here to keep Beth safe.. to keep Andrea safe. I sure didn't come here for myself. There's no other reason I shouldn't have died in Woodbury tonight."

Rick nodded, and seemed to genuinely be listening and considering everything he had said. Then something changed.. confusion took over.  
"Why is that, exactly? ..Why would you have died in Woodbury?"  
Oh.. that's right. He didn't know. How could he have?  
"...Woodbury isn't doing well these days." he whispered. How would Rick like him being there when he found out how he betrayed his own town?  
"You're gonna have to make things a little more clear."  
"...I led a horde of walkers to the town. I was prepared to kill the Governor."  
Obviously Rick was shocked that Milton had a spine.. and that he could have killed his friend, regardless of what he had done. Rick knew how it had been for him to have to kill Shane.  
"But you didn't."  
"I couldn't. Beth showed up looking for Andrea."  
"She shouldn't have been there."  
"No.. she shouldn't have. But she was. What else could I do? Turn her away? Shoot her?"  
"You could have killed the Governor and ended this, once and for all. You had the chance.."  
"I had a child who was scared to death, and a woman bleeding out.. should I have just dropped them and killed him.. regardless of whether they both died, too? Who was supposed to explain Beth's death to Hershel? Me, for letting it happen, or you.. because you would've done the same thing?"

"...Look, I understand what the situation must have been like."  
"No, Rick.. I don't think you do. I don't think you understand at all. I don't think you understand that I almost lost the person I love more than life itself, and I damn sure don't think you understand what I had to do to get them both safely here."

He had nothing more to say to Rick. Something changed within him in Woodbury.. and he wasn't the quiet, shy, and cowardly man he once was. Not anymore. He would not back down.. he would press on, no matter what it took. Somehow, Rick saw that in his eyes. This was a man who knew what it took.. who could go the distance, and did, not to save himself.. but to save those he cared about, and who Rick cared about.

As Milton was walking away, Rick called after him, "Milton."  
"Yes?"  
"Welcome home."

Rick smiled, and it was returned.. it seemed as if they understood each other at last.  
Home. It wasn't where he would have chosen to lay his head down at night.. but it was his. It was theirs. This was real, and it was a family that faught and cared for each other. Milton had never had a family.. he had never known that love and that bond. Yet he saw it in the faces of everyone in Rick's group. He wanted it more than words could say... and now, Rick had offered it to him.  
And he wouldn't trade it for the world.

Woodbury still stood, the fight claimed half of the Governor's men and women, but they were determined to rebuild. The Governor would simply use the tragedy to rile everyone up, and to push forward.

Martinez approached him, shaking his head.. "We cleared the street. Anything else we need to do?"  
The Governor nodded, "Just one. Prepare what weapons and ammo we have left and load them into the trucks."  
Martinez looked confused, "Why?"

"Because, tomorrow, we wipe out that damned Prison once and for all.. and anyone inside of it."

-  
**Okay, for those of you who MAY or may not be wondering about the alarm clock (I had a friend ask lol!).. yes, it would be loud enough to attract walkers. My own alarm clock can be heard outside of my house! :) Plus, those walkers would have led others too! Don't be too hard on me.. It IS fiction after all! ;)**

**Are you guys excited for the next, final chapter?!**

**Leave a review and tell me what ya think! **


	5. Requiem

_**Some say the world will end in fire,**_  
_**Some say in ice.**_  
_**From what I've tasted of desire**_  
_**I hold with those who favor fire.**_  
_**But if it had to perish twice,**_  
_**I think I know enough of hate**_  
_**To say that for destruction ice**_  
_**Is also great**_  
_**And would suffice. **_  
_**-Robert Frost**_

"The Governor will retaliate, and it will be quick. Quicker than you think. He will show us no mercy..."  
Milton stood before the group now.. his group. He knew Philip too well to dare to hope for his surrender. He knew what he had done to Woodbury and to the Governor was, in his eyes, unforgivable. Yet he understood.. because Milton wasn't quite sure he could forgive himself for it either. He had never taken a life before.. but that all changed when he saw he had the life of Andrea and Beth in his hands. He wouldn't talk about what happened around them.. why should they have to carry the guilt? No, this was his burden... and his alone.

He knew that, even though the air was silent this morning.. it was only a matter of time before they came. It was only a matter of time before the faces around him faced the Governor.. and it was also only a matter of time before he would have to bury one of them.  
Michonne had made her way back last night, and Daryl had come back some time later. He had met with Rick for a short while, and then went to bed. No watching.. no eating... something wasn't right. It wasn't until after that Milton discovered what was wrong.

"Merle's dead." he stated simply.

Milton couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.. sure, he never really got used to the man.. and the way he called him "Milty" irritated him beyond words.. but he never wanted this for him. He never wanted him to die, but one thing was clear now: Daryl would be out for blood. If the Governor was coming to the prison.. things were about to get very ugly.

Andrea was on the mend, and fortunately she remembered very little about the night before. Beth, on the other hand, seemed to remember it all too well. He had hoped she wouldn't take it hard.. but she seemed to be at least somewhat affected.  
Things were different now that Merle was dead, and that he had died at the hands of the Governor. He had once been by the Governor's side.. just as Milton had been. Yet, he didn't hesitate to kill him? What did he have in store for Milton now? Surely whatever he had in mind for him would be so much worse than what had happened to Merle.

"He'll come for me next." Milton really hadn't told anyone about his relationship with Andrea. Or what the two of them had been through back in Woodbury.. so naturally, Rick was just as confused as ever.

"Why you, particularly? The last time I checked, he wants us all dead."  
"I took something from him... w-well, maybe that's not entirely accurate. I'm not so sure she ever belonged to him."  
"Andrea."  
"Is it that obvious?"  
"You brought her and Beth here, safe. I'm not so sure I could have pulled that off."  
"I'm not proud of what I did... there were people.. they.."

He couldn't fight it anymore.. Milton had been forced to endure more stress than he had ever been under before in his life. It was more than anyone should have to bear. It was unfair to ask anyone to.. but it was forced upon him. The moment Beth came to him.. the moment he saw Andrea in that chair.. the rules of the game changed. He had blood on his hands, and he knew it was because of the choices he had made. It was tearing him apart on the inside.

This wasn't him. He didn't kill people. He didn't hurt others for his benefit.  
Yet he had to, didn't he?  
Did he?

Couldn't he have escaped with them without claiming any lives, or losing his own?  
No matter how he tried to justify things.. it never worked. Those people were dead, and they weren't coming back. They had once had a family.. friends.. and now there was nothing left. Emptiness..

The same emptiness that engulfed Milton now.

"You did what you had to do. Nobody chose this life.. we woke up one day and it was here. We have to do what is necessary to survive."  
He couldn't look him in the eye.. regardless of what the Governor had done.. no one else needed to die. Milton didn't want to carry a gun, much less fire it.. he had been terrified back at Woodbury, and not only for himself. Looking back, he was disgusted with himself. It had been so easy at the time. Now.. he wasn't sure how he could live with himself.  
"Can we have a moment, Rick?"

Andrea.

She was out of bed finally...  
He couldn't allow her to see him like this. He wiped his eyes and straightened himself up.. yet it all felt so wasted.  
Rick walked back into the prison, and she smiled.

"We have to talk, you know?"  
Damn. He had been afraid she would want to talk. Was there really any point in lying to her, now?  
He sighed and sat down at the table. It was almost a peaceful day.. the sun was shining.. the birds were even chirping somewhere in the distance. It was almost ironic. The peace was somewhat dampened by the sound of walkers at the gates, though. It was difficult to soak in the sun while being faced with flesh eating monsters.

"..Milton... What happened at Woodbury last night?"

Nothing. He couldn't explain, really. There weren't words enough for the horrible things there..  
He opened his mouth to speak, but a crushed, anguished sound erupted from his throat.. and he broke down. Andrea had never seen him cry before, and it was heart breaking. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed, yet he had never been more beautiful before to her. She tried to move his hands, but he turned from her.

"No, Andrea! You don't know.. you haven't..." he was on his feet now, tears running from his blood-shot eyes, and he couldn't stop backing away from her. Why wouldn't he let her in? It was almost as unbearable as his tears.  
"You didn't have to do it."  
"Do what..?"

"..I...You didn't have to kill them." He was beginning to hyperventilate, and he was scaring the hell out of Andrea.. she had never seen him so upset. He had always worked so hard to hide his emotions from her.. and yet now, here they were.. raw, and overflowing.. all for the world to see. He couldn't force them in now if he tried.  
"I've killed a lot of people since this went down. I'm not proud of it, and it doesn't get easier. Sometimes there is no choice..." she pointed to a nearby walker, "It's us, or them."

He couldn't stop himself now, it came out, and it had to be said.. it needed to be said.

"I was going to kill him. For everything.. for you, for me.. for the group. I led a bunch of walkers to the town. Beth came.. she.. God, I don't know.. she was looking for you, and it got so crazy and out of hand.. the walkers attacked, and there was shooting... people got attacked.. there were good people that died, Andrea. Genuine, decent people. I saw them get ripped apart right in front of me. Philip shot at Beth.. we ran. I didn't know what else to do. What else could I do!?" He shook his head, and the tears came fresh all over again.. "I knew something wasn't right when she said you never made it to the prison. Somehow I knew right where you were. When I found you... I couldn't stop. I had to get you both out of there. You were going to die. I didn't really care about what happened to me. Maybe I deserve to die..."  
"Stop... Milton.. stop."

"I killed all of those people.."  
"No one should have ever had to do what you had to do last night. But, because you did it.. I'm still alive. Beth is alive. You're alive..."  
"They opened the gate..." he was talking abnormally fast.. if he didn't tell her everything now, he never would.. he would lose his nerve. "They were shooting the walkers.. it seemed like it helped, to have the gate open, even though it was dangerously stupid. I stole one of his cars... and I.."  
"You what?"  
"I drove through the gate... and, I ran them down.. yes.. mostly, walkers got hit.. but I killed innocent people. People like you and me. How am I supposed to live with that?"

"You're not a killer, Milton... you are not the Governor. It had to be done. You know that.. deep down, somewhere, you know that. You don't have to be the bad ass and carry a gun, and take out walkers left and right. I fell in love with you when you were just the little crazy scientist that still cowered behind the Governor. I know you can protect me.. you proved that to everyone. You don't have to try to prove to me that you're not a monster.."  
"It feels like I am."

"Well, stop feeling and start listening. Do you remember when I said I would shoot you?"  
"I do.."  
"I'll still do it. Chin up. You're too pretty to ruin it with tears. Now come on inside before I send Hershel out here to beat you with his crutches."

He smiled for the first time since Woodbury.. and it was a genuine smile. She was right. She loved him, and he did what he had to do to protect them.. he would, in his own way, mourn the lives that were lost.. but right now, he had to think of this group.. his group.

Inside, Rick was gathering up as many guns as he could. It didn't look like enough.. not near enough. Especially since he knew how much the Governor still had locked away. If they won this fight.. it would cost them greatly. He seemed to understand this as well as Milton did, and it wasn't good enough for his people.  
"This wouldn't even clear out the walkers that are out there right now.. we need more guns." Rick began to pace.. Glenn shoved himself up from the table, "Maybe Maggie and I could go on a run.."

Carol nodded, "We're getting low on formula anyway.."  
"No. Too dangerous.. and not after what happened the last time you two went on a run. We can't risk it. Tomorrow, maybe.. not now... not until this is over."

Beth looked as nervous as she had back in Woodbury, and just as innocent. "Do you think we can win?" she had her hands on Carl's shoulders, and he seemed fairly pleased about this. Milton guessed he had a crush on her.. young love was cute. He wished he had been fortunate enough to know it at such a young age.. but it was enough, to know it now.

"I don't know. Maybe? The Governor's got more fire power than we do.. but from what I understand, Milton took out a lot of his men last night.. Right?"

They were all suddenly looking at him, and he felt his cheeks burn. He had never been particularly good at interacting with people.. and groups of people were out of the question. He simply looked at the ground and nodded, but couldn't resist a smile when Andrea squeezed his hand. She admired the courage it took for him to even be there. He wasn't exactly your everyday social butterfly.. but he was trying.  
"Milton here knows more about our dear Governor than any of us do... he can help us figure out his battle pla-"

"I bet he will." called a ragged voice,

everyone looked to see whose voice it belonged to, and it should have been fairly obvious.  
Daryl. He looked as though grief had thrown him for a loop.. Milton had lost his parents at a young age, but had never known the loss of a sibling.. however, he imagined it was almost as unbearable.

His clothes were still covered in Merle's blood, and it made him shudder. His hair was just as messy as the last time Milton had seen him, and his eyes were blood red. He also noticed he had his crossbow in hand... and he didn't seem to be thinking highly of Milton at the present time.  
"Daryl.." Rick breathed, and he lowered his head as if he were trying to stress something very important to a child that just wasn't grasping the gravity of it all. "Are you okay?"

Daryl didn't even seem to notice Rick had said anything. He still had his eyes on Milton...  
"Ya'll killed my brother."

Fear immediately sank into him. The Governor was unstable, and he was violent... but he hadn't lost a brother, either. He didn't have the anger that Daryl had.. actually, when it came down to it.. Milton would have put money on the Governor being just plain crazy now. Seeing Daryl like he was now... that was pain. That was grief. Philip had lost Penny.. and maybe, in ways, Milton had made it all the more worse in saying that a shred of humanity remained within her.. but after seeing the walkers the night before.. that theory had died. There couldn't be anything less human about them. Yet they seemed more human than the Governor was.

"I...I didn't know about Merle until Rick told me. I didn't hurt him.. I promise I didn-"  
Before he knew it, Daryl was on top of him.. he had slammed him down on the table, and somehow had a knife at his throat. Milton hadn't even really noticed him move his way. It just happened so fast.

He looked crazed, and seemed to be shaking with the effort of holding back. He could feel the cold steel against his throat, and when he swallowed, he could feel it pressing in. Daryl's eyes cut through him like a knife through hot butter.. Milton almost wanted to tell him he did kill Merle, even though he hadn't.. Daryl needed a release. He needed to hate someone.

**_And you can see my heart beating_**  
**_You can see it through my chest_**  
**_Said I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving_**  
**_I know that I must pass this test_**

Everyone seemed to be moving in slow motion around them, and he saw two pairs of arms wrap around Daryl's. Glenn and Rick pulled him off, but not before he could slide his arm, and the knife, against Milton's throat.

**_As my life flashes before my eyes_**  
**_I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise?_**  
**_So many won't get the chance to say goodbye_**  
**_But it's too late to think of the value of my life_**

His hand flew to his throat, and Andrea was at his side at once, trying to pry his hands away. "Let me see, baby.. Please, Let me SEE!"  
He dropped his hands immediately. She had never called him that before, but he couldn't appreciate it.. not now. Especially not when he saw the blood on his hands, and on hers. He heard shuffling and yelling to his right, but he couldn't look.. he could only guess Glenn and Rick had a difficult time restraining Daryl.

"Hershel!" screamed Andrea; it took him a moment to get over there, but he did. Andrea moved out of the way, and Hershel leaned in to get a good look, while trying to apply pressure on the wound.

It seemed like hours passed, but Milton knew it had only been mere moments. The warm, copper smell of blood made him feel light headed, even though he had already seen so much... too much, really. "He'll live. He's lucky, too. Any deeper, and we'd be putting a bullet in his head." Andrea's eyes flashed from Hershel's face to Milton's.. maybe it looked worse than it really was. Maybe, Milton was just in shock...

Maybe.

"Carol, hand me that towel over there."  
Hershel began unbuttoning Milton's shirt, and his hands stopped him. He couldn't quite speak yet.. but Hershel believed he knew why he didn't want everyone to see.

"Look boy, now isn't the time to be shy. Don't worry about this. Lay your head back, and try not to think about it. I'll have you patched up soon enough... then you can bite my head off."  
Hershel's chuckle didn't ease him any.. Milton didn't want Andrea to see what lurked underneath his shirt. He escaped the Governor's clutches, but not without suffering for it. His body had changed.. and he felt that Andrea didn't need to see it.  
But she did. Soon, it was visible. There was nothing he could do. Maggie gasped, and Carol's jaw fell open, Andrea looked beyond sick... which was his biggest fear.

"A..Andrea.."  
She shook her head.  
"I didn't want you to know."  
Andrea began to back up until her back hit one of the gates that separated each room.  
"You're fine now, kid. You'll be in a bit of pain.. but you'll live this time." Hershel helped him sit up, and patted him on the back. The group seemed to move over to where Daryl was now, and Milton thought perhaps they did so to give him and Andrea some privacy. The cloth was irritating against his neck when he looked down, but it was bearable.. and it was certainly necessary.

"Why didn't you tell me?"  
She had sunk down to the floor, with both knees drew up against her chest. He wondered when the two of them would catch a break. He knelt down beside her and placed both of his hands on her knees.  
"What could I say? The night I left.. he followed me.. and he took me back to that awful room. He thought he could... 'encourage' me to stay away from you. He was wrong."  
"You still could have said something."  
"It would have made things worse. Besides, I'm alive. We're both here, and we're okay."

"At least for right now.."  
This was true. He knew it. This was subject to change at any given time. No one was promised another day.. it just seemed to make each day they were given all the more precious.  
"It's your turn now, you know."  
She looked at him, clearly confused.  
"What did he do to you? Why were you..."  
"Naked?"

He nodded; as much as he didn't really want to know why.. somehow, he felt he had to. He had to know. Not knowing had tormented him more than knowing ever could.

"It's not what you think."  
"I really hope not.."  
"It isn't. He just cut.. everywhere. I know you saw that, though."  
Milton nodded, and suddenly he remembered how she looked when he opened that door..  
"You know.." she began to cry, "I understand if you don't want me anymore."  
The idea was insane. It made no sense.. how could he possibly want anyone else? How could she even think that? Hadn't he given her every part of him? He had seen every inch of her body as well, and had found it all more beautiful than he'd imagine it could be.

"He must have hit you over the head."  
"He didn't.."  
"Well, why do you think that, then? I never really wanted anyone until I met you. Now.. I simply can't imagine wanting anyone else."  
"What if he kills one of us tonight?"  
Milton couldn't quite bear the thought of her dying.. not at the hands of the Governor. Not at the hands of anyone.  
"I'll kill him before I let him touch you again."  
Somehow, she knew.. he meant it.

Later.. Milton had sat down by Michonne to discuss the Governor's potential strategy.  
"I think he'll bring those big trucks, personally. We've got the razor wire out there just in case, but it might not be enough for more than one truck." Michonne explained, "How much ammo do you think he has?"  
Milton shook his head, truth be told.. he didn't really know. He knew that there was a large room in which the Governor kept most of the weapons locked up. He had seen it a couple of times, but he also didn't know how much it had taken the night before to rid the town of the walkers.  
"Either way..." he looked at the table filled with too few guns and sighed,

"it's more than we have."  
"He also has more men."  
"Mmhmm... and he doesn't have children to protect."  
"So, what's the plan, science boy?"  
Science boy. This was Michonne's new nickname for him. He might have been insulted, but he knew she hadn't meant it negatively. Also, she had a way about her.. she just seemed genuine. Maybe he was hoping to fit in more than he did.. but he felt he could trust her. She didn't have any reason to be nice to him, but she chose to be anyway.  
It was true, what she had said.. he did have more men. He had more experienced men, who didn't have a single problem with killing innocent people. They had done it before. It would've been just as easy to shoot Judith as it would be to shoot Rick to these people. Man.. woman.. child.. it really made no difference.

"I don't have one."

"I'm not surprised."  
Daryl stood behind him, his bow over his shoulder.. he seemed more composed than he had earlier, at least.. he wasn't at Milton's throat now with a knife.

"I'm sorry about your neck."  
It wasn't much of an apology.. but it was an apology from Daryl Dixon. He imagined these were rare. Regardless of how it was cut... he'd take it.  
"I'm sorry about your brother."  
Michonne drummed her hands on the table for a few seconds, "I think I hear Rick calling me."  
It didn't take her very long to make herself scarce. The idea of being alone with Daryl didn't exactly thrill Milton, but it could have been worse, too. He could be the Governor.  
"Look...I know you didn't kill Merle."

"And I know that this doesn't change anything. Your brother is still dead. His killer is still out there.. and he's coming for us next. I may not have killed him.. but I didn't take out the one who did."

Daryl snickered, "You know.. My dad, he uh.. he liked to drink a lot. I think Merle got that from him. I don't know.. maybe it just got too hard on him, ya know? Life, I mean. Anyway.. My dad would get all drunk and come home and.. well, he liked to knock people around for fun. I used to tell myself, 'I'll stand up to him tonight. When he comes through that door.. I'll do somethin' about it.'.. and I never did. Merle was always the one to take the beating, mostly. He got me a couple'a times.. but not like he got my brother."  
Milton felt uncomfortable listening to Daryl tell him about his childhood... he really didn't have anything that compared to it, and he didn't know what to say to any of this.

Daryl shook his head, "Anyway, yeah.. I thought maybe if I'd stood up to him, maybe Merle wouldn't be the way he was. Man, I was wrong blamin' you for his death. We ain't that different, you and me. Sure, it was my dad that bullied me.. but the Governor's done the same to you."  
He had never really looked at it that way, but Daryl was right. The Governor had been nothing but a bully to him. It hadn't always been that way.. Philip had been a loyal friend to Milton. He tried to get him to socialize more, even though Milton was content to be the recluse he had always been. He often had dinner at Philip's house before the outbreak. His wife made a great lasagna, and Penny was a well behaved child. Philip's wife was warm and loving.. she had always been kind to Milton.. always encouraging him to try new things, and humoring him when it became clear just how sheltered he was.

"You know.. I was so afraid of losing the one friend that I had.. I would take any abuse he threw at me. When I met Andrea.. it didn't really matter anymore. It started to really bother me... Maybe I don't deserve to get beat down all of the time.. Maybe I deserve something mo-"  
Daryl jumped up from his chair and ran to the door to stick his head out. Milton waited patiently for him to come back,  
"We got a problem."  
"What is it?"  
"Your bully's here, an' he brought company."

It had begun. While Milton had known he would strike against them.. he also dared to hope against it. There just wasn't enough time left. His heart began to beat like a drum, and every little thing began to overwhelm him. Where was Andrea? Carl? Where was the baby? Why wasn't anyone grabbing up guns?

Rick and Glenn ran inside and shut the door, while the rest of the group emerged from their cells.  
Rick immediately began to take charge of the situation, which was something Milton admired.  
"Okay, Carl.. you take Judith and get in one of those cells in the back. Beth? You go with him."  
Carl shook his head, "No, Dad. I can help! I'm a good shot. You know I am!"

Carl WAS a good shot, this was true.. but there were bigger threats than walkers out there. He was too easy a target.  
"Look at me, Carl. Now is not the time for this. You get back in there, and you don't come out, do you understand me? I won't lose you too."  
Something about this struck Carl, and he did as he was told. Beth followed behind him, shaking nervously. She glanced over her shoulder at Milton, and smiled weakly. "Good luck."

"Andrea, you and Milton need to take one watch tower. Glenn.. Maggie.. you get the other. I want the rest of you on the ground with me. We've got some armor over there we stripped off the guards. Get it on, and do it in a hurry.  
"Rick.." Hershel fully expected to be on the front lines, and Milton didn't like the idea of it. Apparently Rick didn't either.  
"Hershel.. I can't. I cannot put you out there. If something goes wrong.. Look. I just need you to stay here. If someone gets hit, you'll need to be ready..."

"That's my little girl there, Rick." Hershel glanced at Maggie, "You're crazy if you think I'm not going to protect her every chance I get."  
Rick nodded once, as if to say, "Look, old man, I don't have time to have this conversation right now."  
Milton felt Andrea's fingers lace around his own, and realized that they seemed to have more weight than the gun Rick had put in his empty hand.

_**Have you ever loved someone so much, you'd give an arm for?**_  
_**Not the expression, no, literally give an arm for?**_  
_**When they know they're your heart**_  
_**And you know you are their armour**_  
_**And you will destroy anyone who would try to harm her**_

It seemed everyone was saying their goodbyes. Maggie kissed Glenn and wrapped her arms around him, whispering things that no one else could hear.. he knew this from the way Glenn kept nodding his head. Hershel began to utter a bible verse.

"_And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away._"

When he met Milton's eyes, he smiled, and Milton smiled back.

"Alright.. on the count of three."

Daryl stood on one side of the door; Rick stood on the other. Michonne and Carol stood behind them, ready to run. Ready to kill. Ready to die. Ready to face whatever waited for them out there.

Andrea lifted her face to Milton's, "Whatever happens.. I love you."  
He smiled, and felt hope.. even in spite of the beasts at their door. Even in spite of the gunshots he heard now outside.  
"And I love you."

The door opened, and it wasn't his mind that controlled him any longer.. his body had now taken over. Maggie and Glenn ran to the left as quickly as they could, dodging bullets the entire way. "Go, go, go!" he heard Maggie scream.  
Andrea followed closely behind him as he made his way to the tower. He would have to climb a small set of stairs to get to the top, which meant they would be unable to protect themselves efficiently. He heard a bullet pass by his head, and felt the wind off of it. It lodged somewhere in the building behind him. He stopped at the stairs and pushed Andrea in front of him "Go! I'll cover you!" she seemed uncertain at first, but began to climb quickly. Milton screamed when a bullet grazed his arm, and he clamped his free hand over it, aiming his gun quickly and firing off a shot, which luckily hit one of the Governor's men in the shoulder. "Are you okay?!" Andrea yelled after him, he nodded and joined her at the top. The Governor had climbed on top of one of the tanks to have a better shot, and it seemed had armor on too. His armor, of course, was better than their own. The best thing that they had were their helmets, which had a face shield. This offered some comfort. They might get shot in the arm, but they sure wouldn't get shot in the head.

Andrea took out a bearded man beside the Governor, who quickly turned his attention to them. Milton could see him smile and turn to say something. "Andrea.." he placed a hand on her chest and began to pull her back against the wall along with him. The sun gave off a glare on their face shields, but he caught what the Governor had said. He had asked for something.. and Milton had been around Woodbury and seen enough to know what he had in his hand now.

A rocket launcher.

Could they run? Probably wouldn't make it. He heard a 'swoosh' and there wasn't enough time to decide. "Andrea.. JUMP!" he screamed, they jumped over a nearby railing just as the rocket hit the tower, he managed to roll as he hit the ground, but his helmet fell off and bounced back several feet. Andrea hit hard, and she was sure she had at least sprained something, if she hadn't broken it.  
Milton covered his head as debri rained down on them from the tower. He looked up to see Rick dive under a table just in time to miss a bullet. But that wasn't all he saw.

Somehow... someone had unleashed walkers inside of the gates.  
They shuffled closer to where Daryl and the others were standing.. and they had their backs turned. They wouldn't hear them over the sound of the guns.

"RICK!" he screamed, and he knew there was no way he heard them.  
He glanced back at Andrea, "Go.. I'm fine.. just go!"

She climbed to her feet quickly and took cover behind a small storage building.  
Milton knew what he had to do.. they were completely open to attack.. and the walkers were closing in fast.  
He slid another clip in and headed off in their direction.. he wasn't as good a shot as Andrea or the others... but he prayed with all he held inside himself that he would hit his mark.

The gun jerked back as he shot at one of the walkers mere inches from Daryl, and he was relieved to find he had nearly taken its head off with one shot. Blood splattered the ground and the walker fell at once. Daryl turned and came face to face with at least 20 walkers. As if instinct took over, several arrows left his bow and found home in skulls. Milton had almost reached them when a walker stumbled out from around a corner onto him, before he could scream, he had fallen to the ground with it on top of him. He struggled to reach his pocket as he held it by the throat, dodging its nails. He finally found what he was searching for: he pulled a small knife from his pocket and stabbed the walker in the head with it. The walker's skull wasn't half as hard as it would have been when it was alive.. and he had little trouble killing it. A bullet bounced off the ground by him and he flipped the walker over, taking cover behind the body. Blood splattered his face as they shot up the corpse, and he shoved himself off of the ground and onto his feet the first chance he got, wiping frantically at his face.

"Never thought I'd be glad to see you, man." Daryl called after him, he flashed a quick smile and aimed with both arms at the Governor, he hit him in the chest, and the Governor flinched, but he was wearing a bulletproof vest, so it did little to hurt him.  
Suddenly Rick screamed, "CARL! Get back INSIDE!".. Carl had come to help, and while they could have used the help... this was no place for a child. What should he know of death at such an age?

Michonne slashed her way through the walkers as the others tried to take out as many of the Governor's small army as they could. Rick tried to reach Carl in time, but nothing could have prepared any of them for what happened next. As Milton could have guessed.. the Governor would target the weakest first. It took one shot to the stomach to bring the boy to his knees. Before he knew it, Rick had him in his arms, rushing him inside of the prison. He emerged later with another gun.. one in each hand now.. and he was pissed. Firing both at the same time, he managed to kill 5 men within a few short minutes.

There was another loud explosion; Maggie and Glenn ran toward them from the other tower. He thought for a moment.. where was Andrea?  
The Governor had gotten back in the tank and was now breaking through the gates, running down walkers as he did so.

"Andrea.." Milton breathed, and he saw her on the ground by the small building, clutching her ankle. It was only a matter of time before they began to shoot that building up. He ran to her, and miraculously dodged each bullet that came his way, even though it took him falling to the ground and crawling at one point. "Get up! you have to get up!" she looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "I can't.. I think it's broken..!" He weighed the situation for a few short moments. If she tried to limp over, she'd be too slow, and she'd get shot. If she stayed.. she was a goner, as well. There was only one option.

He helped her up and threw her over his shoulder.. if he could get her inside of the prison, it was worth the risk.. but unfortunately, she did slow him down.. and he was a prime target for the Governor's men. He heard the gunshots, and he knew it was coming.. his own death. Possibly Andrea's. He regretted his decision immediately to make a run for it.. but there was no going back now.

The bullet reached his location.. the bullet that would send him to an early grave.. and instead of killing him, Michonne lept in front of him and slashed at the air with her sword. Somehow... beyond belief... she had deflected it. He didn't know if luck was on their side, or a higher power.. either way.. he was eternally grateful.. and he knew he owed Michonne big. He would scavenge as much as necessary to add to her collection of cat objects if they survived this.

With the help of Michonne, he got Andrea back to the prison and joined the group outside once more. It was time to end this once and for all.  
"I'm not waiting here to die.. I'm going out there." Michonne declared. It seemed like a long shot.. but no more than waiting there and hoping they had enough bullets to take out the rest of his men from a distance. It was too unlikely.

Hershel had returned to the prison to tend to Carl and Andrea, and the rest of the remaining members of the group decided to make one final stand against the Governor.

They would march out on him and his men.. to death, perhaps.. but they would do so with their heads held high in defiance. Michonne climbed onto Daryl's motorcycle with him, and they rode out into the crowd of walkers and 'soldiers'. Daryl slashed with his knife at nearby bodies-alive or dead- and Michonne was more than capable of bringing death with her sword. The way was clear for the time being. Carol, Rick, Maggie, Glenn, and Milton made their way out behind them with all guns blazing. Milton managed to take out 3 men to the right of the Governor, and with the aid of the others, the remaining men fell quickly and swiftly. Carol took a shot to the arm, and Glenn took one to the leg. All things considered, they were unbelievably lucky. It seemed the Governor was all that was left. All of the walkers were dead-truly dead-at the moment.. and the threat was minimal. The Governor still had his fair share of ammo at his disposal, yet, instead of firing at them like expected.. he froze in place... his gun fell from his hand, and his expression went blank. Milton wasn't sure what happened.. none of them were.. not until Daryl's head appeared behind his back, wearing a smile on his face. He had the Governor by the throat, and grabbed one of his arms, placing it behind his back. The Governor kicked, but Daryl easily avoided his blows. Daryl drug him down from the tank and lead him towards one of the nearby gates. "Come on!" he called to the group. Carol, without stopping, shot a walker on the way. Milton couldn't help but chuckle.. Carol was a brilliant shot.

"Get those chains over there, Michonne." Daryl said. Milton wasn't entirely sure what he had planned, but he knew that it would be brutal.  
"Milton.. this isn't you, buddy." The Governor said, his tone pleading. "I haven't always made the best choices, but I've kept my people safe."  
Milton stepped back away from him. "Uh uh. Milton.. you've been afraid of him for too long, man. It's over." Daryl beckoned Milton over. "Tell him."  
Milton, for the first time, looked into his eyes.. and he felt no fear. He felt nothing but pity. As much fear as he had for this man.. he knew deep within himself.. he was more of a man than the Governor could ever be. He knew love.. he knew hope.. the Governor had a chance at these things.. but he threw it all away.

Michonne appeared on the other side of the fence with the chains in hand, "Feed it to me," Daryl instructed. Milton heard the familiar sound of walkers, yet no one made an effort to hold them off. They hadn't become an immediate threat. Not yet.  
Daryl roped the chains around the Governor and Michonne secured it on the other side.

"Come on guys, you really gonna leave me like this?" he chuckled nervously. "Are you, Milton?"  
Milton didn't like what was happening.. but he couldn't deny that the Governor had brought retribution down upon himself.  
"It's over.." Milton breathed, and Daryl patted him on the back. "Hell yeah it is." The Governor switched his gaze to Daryl, "That's what you think, you backwoods hillbilly... my people will hunt you down, do you hear me? Do you think this is the en-" It wasn't Daryl that landed the punch, to the Governor's surprise... no.. it was Milton. He drew back his fist and shook it in pain. It wasn't nearly as easy as he had seen in the movies. The Governor stared in shock, and Milton couldn't take it anymore. It WAS over.. and he longed to be rid of it all.  
Daryl smiled at him as the rest of the group made their way back to the prison.

Rick held the gate open for him,  
"You might'a killed my brother.. but know this.. he still won." Daryl said simply, the Governor didn't have anything more to say. Even with the sun in his eyes, he could hear fate approaching him. The sound of death was not a pleasant one.  
Daryl ran for the gate and Rick closed it behind him.

"I can't watch this." Milton frowned, Michonne, without warning, hugged him. Which, in a way.. scared him more than the scene before him. Michonne was not the type to show affection.. and not in such a way. Yet he welcomed it. Daryl forced Milton to turn away. "You've done more than your share, man.. go. Go check on Andrea. We'll be in when... well.. when it's over."  
Milton nodded and went inside the prison.

"Are you sure about this?" Rick asked,  
"As sure as he was about killing Merle."  
Daryl didn't bat an eyelash as the walkers approached. The Governor began to whimper. "Let me go.. and I'll leave. This doesn't have to happen. Daryl, you're not like Merle.. you're not a killer. You can turn this around.. my blood doesn't have to be on your hands, boy."  
Michonne placed a hand on Daryl's shoulder the second he showed signs of doubt,  
"Yet it was alright for you to have our blood on yours."

Rick turned and went back to the prison to see about Carl and Milton. Michonne didn't particularly care to kill innocent human beings.. but this man wasn't exactly innocent either.

Daryl grabbed her hand as the walkers were close enough for the Governor to reach out and grab.  
"Tell me this is right. Tell me Michonne..."

"So many innocent men have died at his hands. They cry out for justice.."  
The Governor's screams sliced through the silence, and justice was met.

Inside the prison, Milton heard the screams, and he covered his ears. Tears streamed down his cheeks. He leaned into Andrea's chest, and she stroked his hair until the screams died out. Until mere moments had passed..

Until one final gun shot rang out.

Later that afternoon, Daryl and Michonne came back inside of the prison. The mood was lighter inside than it had been outside. Carl was injured, but he would survive. Carol, Glenn, and Andrea were also on the mend. It seemed they all escaped with their lives. There was no explanation for it. By all means, they should have all perished. They had a significant disadvantage.

Milton was the first to speak to Daryl.

"Is he..."  
"He's dead, Milton. I'm sorry."  
Milton nodded, and somehow he was able to accept it. Didn't it always have to come to this?  
"We uh... we buried him. If you'd like to go have a word."  
"Is it safe?"  
"Actually, yeah. The yard's clear. Gate's not entirely repaired, but it'll keep 'em out for quite a while."

Milton decided to have that word after all.

The chains were gone from the fence, but blood remained in places. Milton walked past it quickly, and tried to banish the thoughts that threatened to resurface.

He stood in front of the Governor's grave and didn't quite know what to say. A small wooden cross had been shoved into the ground behind the pile of dirt. There were no great words, no little phrases to sum up how greatly he'd be missed. It simply read, "Philip".  
It seemed appropriate. Here, beneath the earth.. he was Philip. That's all.. nothing more. The Governor was just a title. A title he never really deserved. Milton ached for the man that he once was. His friend. His protector. Yet, he knew he had found all of those things and more in the group. He had found a family. A life that he might not have chosen for himself, but he wanted nonetheless.

He knelt down and gathered some of the dirt in his hand,

"You used to talk of doing great things.. even when the whole world was falling down around us. You protected me when I couldn't protect myself. You taught me how to survive. How to talk to people more. But..." he wiped a tear from his eye and shook his head, "..you never taught me how to kill my best friend."

He let the dirt fall from his hand back to the grave, and as it did, he stood to his feet. The stars were beginning to come out, and the sun had begun to set. Andrea was waiting for him up the hill, with a welcoming smile on her face. Milton waved goodbye to his friend, and his past, and turned to face his new life.

Even as horrible as the day had been... it had come to an end. As all things must. Life must end.. friendships must end..

But love.. true love, like the love Milton and Andrea shared.. that was forever.

_**Love it? Hate it? Leave a review and tell me what you think!**_

_**For those who have asked repeatedly for me to continue this story.. you will be happy to know, I intend to. I will be writing a new 'fic titled, "Return to Woodbury", which will tell the events after this chapter, and so on, and so forth :) **_

_**As always, I am very grateful for all of the reviews, and views I have gotten on this story. I have very much enjoyed writing it, and hope to do more. This fandom is, after all.. one of the greatest around. **_

_**Thank you all so very much.**_

_**xoxo**_


	6. Warmth

This is the "alternate ending" (at the risk of making it sound like a movie, lol!) to "Requiem", I suggest you read it before reading this!

Try not to hate me too much for this!

"Andrea.." Milton breathed, and he saw her on the ground by the small building, clutching her ankle. It was only a matter of time before they began to shoot that building up. He ran to her, and miraculously dodged each bullet that came his way, even though it took him falling to the ground and crawling at one point. "Get up! you have to get up!" she looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "I can't.. I think it's broken..!" He weighed the situation for a few short moments. If she tried to limp over, she'd be too slow, and she'd get shot. If she stayed.. she was a goner, as well. There was only one option.

He helped her up and threw her over his shoulder.. if he could get her inside of the prison, it was worth the risk.. but unfortunately, she did slow him down.. and he was a prime target for the Governor's men. He heard the gunshots, and he knew it was coming.. his own death. Possibly Andrea's. He regretted his decision immediately to make a run for it.. but there was no going back now.

He placed her on the ground and shielded her with his own body, wrapping his arms around her and burying his head in her hair.. there wasn't enough time to say all of the things he needed to say.. or to do all of the things he had dreamt they would.

It happened before anyone could do anything. The pain was more than any human should bear.. should ever have to know. Somehow he summoned the strength to pull them both to safety.. out of the line of fire.

Andrea's hope was shattered the moment she saw his shirt.. his chest.. and the blood that now covered it. "Oh my god.." she breathed, and he collapsed against the prison wall, clutching at the wound.

He laughed, and couldn't quite understand why it had been so comical. "I guess I didn't need all of that ammo anyway, huh?"

Andrea wouldn't believe it. She couldn't. "You're not going to die.."

"Andrea.. look at me.."

Her eyes reluctantly met his, and something was there. A deep sense of understanding that this was the end.. and that somehow, he was okay with it.

She would be strong.. there would be a time for tears, but it would not be here. He would not see her suffer. He would see no more suffering..

"Come here," she whispered weakly, and he laid his head over in her lap. She held his hand tightly and began to hum an unfamiliar song.. yet it was beautiful. Just as you would expect a last song to be. It would usher in his death.. and there would be nothing left of Milton Mamet.

He closed his eyes and listened to her voice. It was all he needed now... these final moments were all he needed anymore. They would never be enough.. he would want more time.. but he was grateful for this. For her. For the time they had shared.. even if it had to end. Even ending like this..

A single tear fell from his eye and slid down the side of his head.. he opened his eyes to see hers.

"This is the end, you know..." blood lined his mouth, and threatened to fall just as his tear.

He tried to find some final, great meaning in the world around him. Something that would absorb the fear. There was nothing. The truth was that he didn't want to leave her.. the world was a cruel and horrifying place.. but he wanted to be in it so very much, and he wanted to be by her side until the end of his days. He never wanted today to be the end. He raised his hand to touch her cheek softly,

"You will not be here when this is over, will you?"

She shook her head and leaned into his touch.. unable to admit that it would be the last time she felt the warmth of his skin, and the last time she would hear his soft, sweet voice.

He placed his gun into her trembling hands, and placed it under his chin.

"I'm.. not afraid.." he whispered, and his voice shook. Perhaps he could offer a final lie to ease her pain.

"Don't make me do this.."

He smiled and closed his eyes.. somehow, he saw himself in a field of beautiful flowers.. the wind tossing them back and forth ever so gently. He felt the warm sun on his skin, and there was no sense of time. There was no pain... no fear.. only himself, and the warmth. The beautiful warmth of it all. It cut through his clothes, and his skin.. and it touched his very core. His heart, and his soul.. and he felt peace.

This **_was_** the end.

With one final look at her face.. he accepted his life.. all of the mistakes.. all of the disappointments.. and all of the triumphs. He accepted it, and he let it go.

She leaned down to kiss his forehead, and she listened to his breathing... the rising of his chest began to slow beneath her fingers.. and a period now existed between each breath he took. A period no words could describe.. but a period that was engulfed in endless sorrow she could not measure.

"Please.." she pleaded with God.. she pleaded with Milton.. with whatever and whoever could hear her...

She couldn't lose him.. not after all they had been through..

The light began to fade in his eyes.. the sparkle she had loved so dearly began to die out.. and his breathing was so faint now, she struggled to hear each exhale. His chest barely moved..

His heart beat one final time before silence took him. Before he found himself walking into the everlasting warmth of the light..

Andrea closed her eyes as she tried to prepared for what would happen next. Yet she couldn't prepare.. no one could.

How could one be ready for what she was about to have to do?

In a matter of a few short moments.. his body began to move once more.. but she knew.. Milton was gone. What lay in her lap now was just a shell.. a cold, empty shell..

This was all that was left of the man she loved.

She couldn't quite feel her hands as she placed her finger on the trigger.. but the trigger was heavier than anything she had ever known.

His eyes opened to reveal emptiness.. there was no spark.. no love in his eyes. A growl erupted from his throat not unlike that from a wild animal..

Time stopped... her heart stopped.. the world stopped spinning...

And with every shred of remaining strength, she pulled the trigger.


End file.
